When the U.S. Geological Survey announced that Appalachia contained enough lithium to supply America for more than 300 years, it was more than just a watershed moment for our country. It was another setback for Communist China, already reeling from a weakening economy and dependence on foreign oil, and could loosen its stranglehold on the lithium-ion battery supply chain.
But realizing the potential from these gains requires policymakers to have wisdom and backbone, and resist the false prophets, both foreign and domestic, who will no doubt stand in the way.
Highly conductive yet incredibly malleable, lithium powers much of our lives in the 21st century. It is a critical tool in modern electronics and at the center of everyday life, from smartphones and tablets to batteries. As recently as the 1990s, the United States was the world’s leading lithium producer.
Then, as with many other facets of life, the outsourcing started. While we debated environmental impact statements and activists shut down mines, China moved decisively.
Today, China controls between 70 and 80% of the world’s lithium capacity and production. It dominates the entire supply chain. Friendlier countries like Australia and Chile may be home to the largest raw materials deposits, but China owns the manufacturing capacity. And many of the mining facilities in Australia and Chile are, sadly, majority Chinese-owned. Take the Greenbushes Lithium Mine in Western Australia, the world’s largest and highest-grade hard-rock lithium mine. It is also majority-owned by the Chinese-based Tianqi Lithium company.
Lithium isn’t just a mineral; it’s the oil of the 21st century. Right now, Communist China is calling the shots. Here at home, we have only one operating lithium mine in Nevada.
The Trump administration not only understands the threat but is acting on it. In his first term, the president declared a national emergency around the “vulnerability to disruptions in the supply of critical minerals.” In March 2025, the president signed an executive order, “to facilitate domestic mineral production to the maximum possible extent.”
Pushing for more lithium production at home is part of a broader deregulatory agenda and renewed focus on American energy dominance. After four long years of the Biden administration using every lever available to shut down domestic energy, President Trump sent a clear signal that a new day had dawned by declaring a National Energy Emergency on day one of his new term.
We are already reaping the benefits. While gas prices are elevated, they are far lower than in the rest of the world. Less talked about is the price of natural gas, which accounts for half of our country’s electricity. It has barely moved here at home since the conflict in Iran started, whereas many parts of Europe and Asia have felt 70% price increases.
Now we can apply those same principles to lithium. But developing a major lithium mine takes years and can be shut down quickly. The process will no doubt stretch into a presidential administration that may not share the wisdom of Trump’s Energy Dominance Agenda. The Democratic Party may still be licking its wounds from recent electoral defeats, but its would-be leaders haven’t lost their green appetite.
Billionaire Tom Steyer, one of the frontrunners to become California’s next governor, declared “every day will be climate day” in his administration.
As they did with fracking a decade ago, environmental extremists, often funded by overseas interests, will raise holy hell about every cultural concern in the name of “science.” Their allied third-party organizations will launch disruptive protests and a blizzard of costly lawsuits.
Just as the Russians sought to undermine America’s rise as a fracking powerhouse with misinformation campaigns, China will not sit idly by while America disrupts its monopoly. Expect lawsuits, media campaigns, and pressure on American politicians to slow-walk or kill lithium mining projects. Look no further than Steyer, who amassed his estimated $2.4 billion fortune running hedge funds on the backs of foreign coal miners while advocating “green” policies to kill these jobs here at home. It’s beyond hypocrisy; it’s pure evil.
Relying on China for critical minerals is insanity. Beijing has shown a willingness and ability to weaponize supply chains. There is no reason that every smartphone battery and every defense system, or even the Left’s precious electric vehicle battery, should be dependent on CCP-controlled lithium. Energy security is national security.
America has natural resources on its land. Our people have the ingenuity. What we need now is the will — and the courage to tell the environmental Left and Beijing that our lithium will power our future, not Chinese dominance.
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Daniel Turner is the founder and executive director of Power The Future, a national nonprofit organization that advocates for American energy jobs. He also runs a sheep and cattle farm in rural Virginia. Contact him at [email protected] and follow him on Twitter @DanielTurnerPTF.
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